starting a personal care home

[nurseyky]

hi all,

I have been wanting to start a personal care home in my town for many months, but i can not seem to find any info on it. Has nurse here ever started one or worked for one? My plan is to rent or buy a 3 or 4 bedroom house and have 4 residents all male or all female, with an attendant. I have not yet decided to house mentally or physically disabled adult. I currently live in ky. I am an lpn and have been for the past 8 yrs. Is this a bad idea?

Please let me know what you think...or if you have any info on getting one started???


Thanks in Advance,
happy nursing
nurseyky

[Sylvia321]

A bad idea? No, not at all. It has the potential to be quite lucrative. First, you need to check out what your state requires for license,health inspections of facility (your state may have a different name for it) If you rent, will the landlord allow you to run a business from the home? If so find where and how much will your insurance cost?
1) state license
2) state approved facility
3) insurance
4) incorporate--to protect your private assets
5) augment the facility for safety,etc
6) money for staff
7) state regulated rules for staff-ie; workmans comp, insurance,taxes etc

Check with your states licensing board, look at the laws under group homes or private assisted living facilities. Call the chamber of commerence. Put all your information in order, figure out your basic business plan, put it on paper so you can look at it and move things around as you add and take away what you want. Always keep your business seperate from your personal banking.

[stillearning]

Beyond the nursing licensing board in your state -- be sure to consult with the state health department. They are usually the arm of government who approves, surveys and "licenses" home care agencies.

Your being an LPN/LVN would not handicap you in Minnesota from being the business owner, but you would not be able to serve as the NURSE for such a program. There is too much ASSESSMENT involved and our state codes require that the home care agency have a designated RN who provides for both the assessment of the patient/resident's needs AND the evaluation of the care rendered.

Remember to also examine reimbursement and documentation standards as they apply to your business. The software alone that some states require can be a big "start-up" cost for the small business owner.

Good luck in your business pursuits. Heavens knows we will be seeing a rise in home care needs.

--p

[Carol]

I'm also interested in starting a PCH. I've been an RN for over 25 yrs and have a BSN. I've been working with the elderly for several years doing assessments in their home and dealing with PDA Waiver consumers. I have found little information on how to go about starting one. I think the biggest factor is to determine the need of a PCH in the area you want to open one. I'm thinking of going through the Area on Aging. They have a lot of insight as to what the seniors need in the county you are thinking of opening one. Most states do not require licenses, like say a nursing home would.

This site may give you some insight into what to do in your state.
http://ltcedu.com/PA/a4.asp just put your state in.

I'm still in the fact finding stages so time will tell on how or if I proceed with this adventure.